On August 5, 2021 CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a clinical-stage oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of investigational conditionally activated therapeutics based on its Probody technology platform, reported second quarter 2021 financial results and provided a business update (Press release, CytomX Therapeutics, AUG 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234585977]).
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"In the second quarter of 2021, we continued to advance our broad pipeline of Probody therapeutics across multiple modalities and cancer types. Our Phase 2 studies, evaluating our two lead conditionally activated antibody-drug conjugates, praluzatamab ravtansine (CX-2009), targeting CD166, and CX-2029, targeting CD71, are ongoing," said Sean McCarthy, D.Phil., president, chief executive officer and chairman of CytomX Therapeutics. "The breadth of our progress and depth of our science have been highlighted by five clinical and scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals in 2021 to date, including a landmark preclinical publication demonstrating the power of Probody technology to increase the therapeutic window of an immune agonist," added Dr. McCarthy.
Business Highlights and Recent Developments
Patient enrollment is ongoing in the Phase 2 study of praluzatamab ravtansine (CX-2009), our wholly-owned CD166-directed conditionally activated antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), being evaluated as a monotherapy in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-non-amplified breast cancer and in combination with pacmilimab (CX-072), in patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Due primarily to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, including slower clinical site activation and patient enrollment, CytomX now anticipates initial data from this study in 2022.
In collaboration with AbbVie, the multi-cohort Phase 2 study of CX-2029, the CD71-directed conditionally activated ADC, continues to enroll patients into the expansion cohorts evaluating the following indications: squamous non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, esophageal and gastro-esophageal junction cancers, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Initial data from this study is anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Our collaboration partner, Bristol Myers Squibb, continues to study the combination of BMS-986249, a Probody version of ipilimumab, and nivolumab, the anti-PD-1 antibody, in four cancer types: metastatic melanoma, advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, and advanced triple-negative breast cancer. Bristol Myers Squibb is also evaluating BMS-986288, a Probody version of non-fucosylated ipilimumab, as monotherapy or in combination with nivolumab, in a Phase 1 study.
CytomX submitted a pre-investigational new drug application (IND) meeting request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for CX-904 in collaboration with Amgen and expects a written response from the FDA in the third quarter of 2021. CytomX will continue to discuss the program with Amgen and is working toward the filing of an IND in late 2021.
Ongoing research and pre-clinical development activities continue, towards the generation of conditionally activated cytokine therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, including interferon alpha-2b.
Five peer-reviewed manuscripts have been published highlighting progress across the CytomX pipeline and platform:
Pacmilimab (CX-072):
First-in-human biodistribution study using positron emission tomography imaging in Clinical Cancer Research. This is the first human clinical imaging report of a Probody therapeutic and further supports mechanistic aspects of platform performance including target engagement in the tumor and reduced target engagement in normal tissues. This article can be accessed using this link.
First-in-human monotherapy study in patients with advanced solid tumors in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. In this study, pacmilimab demonstrated single-agent activity in advanced solid tumors, including metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. This article can be downloaded using this link.
First-in-human study in combination with ipilimumab, the anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 antibody, in advanced solid tumors, also in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. The combination of pacmilimab and ipilimumab illustrates the potential for pacmilimab as a preferred checkpoint inhibitor for combination therapies. This article can be downloaded using this link.
CX-2029
First-in-human data in patients with advanced solid tumors in the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Cancer Research, demonstrating, for the first time, that CD71 can be a therapeutic cancer target for a masked drug-conjugated antibody . This article can be downloaded using this link.
Preclinical:
Preclinical studies of a novel Probody immuno-oncology agent targeting CD137 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This is the first published application of the CytomX platform to agonist antibodies in immuno-oncology. This article can be accessed using this link.
Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results
Cash, cash equivalents and short- and long-term investments totaled $366 million as of June 30, 2021, compared to $316 million as of December 31, 2020.
Revenue was $16 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021, relatively flat when compared to the corresponding period in 2020.
Research and development expenses increased $2 million during the three months ended June 30, 2021 to $26 million compared to the corresponding period in 2020. The increase was driven mainly by timing of manufacturing and tissue sampling activities.
General and administrative expenses were $9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021, essentially flat compared to the second quarter of 2020.
Conference Call & Webcast Information
CytomX management will host a conference call today at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT). Interested parties may access the live webcast of the conference call from the Events and Presentations page of CytomX’s website at www.cytomx.com or by dialing 1-877-809-6037 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-615-247-0221 (International) using the passcode 1488138. An archived replay of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website until August 12, 2021.